European Elections 2014

GERB Party to Include Bulgarian Muslims in EP Election List

Former Interior Minister and current Deputy Chair of center-right party GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria), Tsvetan Tsvetanov, photo by BGNES

Center-right party GERB has vowed to include Bulgarian Muslims as candidates for the 2014 European elections to challenge the monopoly of liberal party DPS.

Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Deputy Chair of GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) and head of the election HQ of the party, presented the strategy at a Sunday meeting with GERB representatives from mixed-population regions in Razgrad.

Tsvetanov accused DPS (Movement for Rights and Freedoms), a member of Bulgaria's current socialist-led coalition government, of unprecedented revanchism and hatred, suggesting that the actions were probably attributable to the fact that DPS was sensing that it was losing its political grip on Bulgarian Muslims.

He underscored that the problems in mixed-population regions were nothing like the problems in big cities.

"People living in big cities must be aware of the fact that there are rural areas in Bulgaria in which the 20th century has not arrived yet due to the longtime practice of DPS of imposing total political, economic and cultural isolation of the regions in which it enforced its political monopoly," Tsvetanov said, as cited by GERB's press office.Tsvetanov argued that high turnout would help bring the people living in these regions closer to national and EU values.

"Through the practice of political repression, DPS created a serious dividing line between Bulgarian Muslims," he declared, adding that the people who had dared to be members of other parties than DPS had come under the harshest attacks, including dismissals, pressure and threats.

Tsvetanov claimed that these people had been stigmatized as traitors and terrorized through all means available by the local and central authorities.

He insisted that the situation was unacceptable for an EU member state and Bulgaria was not to tolerate it any longer.

Sunday's meeting brought together over 100 representatives of GERB from the mixed-population regions of Razgrad, Targovishte, Silistra and Shumen, according to reports of Sega daily.

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The reason I transferred to Bulgaria is not because of the cheap alcohol, in fact I did not know about it until I set my foot here.

To clarify, the good thing about Bulgarian law is that everything you buy as a consumer is simply at a flat rate of 20% VAT, whether that be Alcohol, Cigarettes, luxury products or simply basic things such as bread, cabbages and water. In this way, depending on what's your own cup of tea, you will not have to pay more simply because your "item" is taxed more heavily than let's say somebody elses product. Reasons like this, is what makes the country more of a fair deal. And Muslims in the parliament (or any religions group) for that matter, would very likely screw this up if they had a major vote in the parliament. There is a strong rule, Religion and Politics are too different things and must not mix.

Also one thing to consider is that if you work for a Bulgarian company or foreign company who complies legally to Bulgarian labor legislation, no matter what sort of job you do or what salary range you always pay a 10% flat rate again making things fair for most "normal" people. I do not know how it works for people over the usual amount though.

Even though, the money paid from the taxes unfortunately do not benefit anybody here as the politicians simply stick it in their own pockets due to corruption and some mafia backing a few politicians, actually, a lot.

If Bulgaria instantly was able to remove all the mafiosos and corrupt politicians, which I hope soon. And begin exporting instesd of importing. I believe this country would be one of the leading economies of Europe with their agriculture and good wine.

While I have nothing against muslims or islam in ideology, I would be rather cautious about including them in parliament as they might possibly try to propose laws against alcohol and raising the tax. The low alcohol prices are the only good thing about Bulgaria and one of the main reasons for tourism. Don't let these muslims screw it up!

Europe Votes 2014

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Across Europe, voters in 27 countries are going to the polls to choose a total of 736 MEPs to represent them for the next five years. But what are they all voting for, or against? Are they driven by the desire to find their own voice in the union, or simply to punish their government at a time of economic crisis? Read comment on the passion and fury - not to mention indifference - across a continent from Paris to Warsaw.